Goa doesn’t need a ‘theatrical opposition’
I was pleasantly amused but seriously disgusted to read about the meeting of the “collective opposition” to chalk out a strategy for the forthcoming Goa Legislative Assembly. One would wonder why? Does a spirited and honest opposition or leader need to come together for a strategy? Why can’t the opposition be united if not all the times, at least, most of the time? Even though they are a slim minority, and defeat is a foregone conclusion, if they really have the desire and the drive, they do not need a strategy. A planned and scripted drama on what to speak, when to speak, how to speak, and most of all who should counter whom, just for the amusement of the simple Goenkaar is the last thing that should be enacted in the sacred halls of governance.
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Should we, the honest Goenkaar really believe in this ‘united opposition’ –this same united opposition who stood divided, when a large number of Goenkaars travelled miles to show their solidarity towards River Mhadei? Should we believe this same ‘united opposition’ who couldn’t come up with a strategy to field a candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Goa? This same opposition that has been dumb, cold and cozy in their palatial homes, while the Goenkaar is experiencing bumpy roads, dark nights and flooded fields in the last few weeks?
It is not winning, but the desire to win that should be the core strategy. Goa does not need a ‘theatrical opposition’ or a ‘Ruling Opposition’
Jaret Chandrapurkar, by email
Village roads have already gone bad
The condition of most interior village roads in the state have really gone from bad to worse, with just a few continuous heavy showers of one month during this monsoon, in Goa. In fact, most of them have already developed massive potholes right in the middle and become very dangerous for motorists to use these roads.
The one thing I really don’t understand is why the government always allow its contractors to start digging roads only after the roads are hotmixed/restored and to damage them in the name of laying some underground cables here & there in most parts of Goa. And why some of them are dug even in the monsoon.
Well, it looks like the government deliberately allow such stupid exercises to fill its own empty coffers and to make fast money in Goa.
I therefore think that if the government is really not interested in keeping it’s word of providing people with some decent world-class/long-lasting roads in the state even in the near future then it should immediately stop unnecessarily collecting all the various types of taxes from all the motorists and stop making their life miserable by giving them some ‘bure din’ (bad days) or most horrible days (instead of ‘ache-din’) for no reason in Goa….
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Sharing of Mhadei waters
In the edition of O Heraldo dated 11 July, 2023 and under the headline ‘After 4 years, SC gives Goa hope on Mhadei,’ it is mentioned that the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal granted 13.42 TMC of water to Karnataka. This figure is exaggerated.
The Tribunal allowed Karnataka to divert a 3.9 TMC of water — 2.18 TMC through the Bhandura dam and 1.72 TMC via the Kalasa dam. This water can be diverted only during the monsoon months and not throughout the year.
It also permitted extraction of 1.5 TMC for in-basin use, to which Goa has no objection.
The Tribunal also permitted Karnataka to utilise 8.02 TMC for generation of power at the ‘to be constructed’ Kotni dam, but in a non-consumptive manner, which means the water used to generate power flows back into the river and onwards to Goa.
The total quantum of water in the Mhadei was estimated at 188 TMC by the Tribunal, which means only 2.8 per cent of the water, can be diverted /utilised by Karnataka, the remaining flows towards Goa.
Derek Almeida, Porvorim
Control robberies which are on the rise
With the influx of low-end tourism and the rapid rise of the migrant population, we in Goa, are witnessing an exponential rise in crime. Social and security checks at all entry points, especially on the borders, have to be compulsorily conducted. The other day, a car parked outside a church in the suburbs of Margao was targeted and vandalised by breaking open the glass window and the owner was robbed and relieved of most of his valuables kept inside his car whilst he was attending mass. In the absence of CCTV security and 24×7 surveillance, it would be difficult to nab the thieves. Institutions such as churches, temples, mosques, public or government offices, banks, etc need to be kept 100% secure by installing CCTVs in and around all car parking areas for deterrence of such robberies and subsequent nailing of thieves in quick time. The spate of robberies has rapidly spiralled out of control and there is a dire need to arrest their growth. It would be foolhardy and naive not to take such precautions whilst one goes on errands leaving all valuables unattended in parked cars at the mercy of such die-hard thieves who execute their trade with utter brazenness. The conviction rate for such crimes is low and all round precautions need to be exercised by the weary public.
Ashley Noronha, Fatorda
Disaster of management in Goa
This has reference to the report ‘There’s disaster of management in Goa’s flood control rooms’ (O Heraldo July 12, 2023).
Every monsoon, we witness disasters of all kinds in the country such as building/house collapsing, tree falling, flyovers getting damaged, potholes/ craters on many roads not to mention floods leading to shutdown of transport. Similarly, the rivers in the north are flowing above average levels. Several lives & property have been lost across the country. And what is the response of the authorities, what is our response?
According to your news report there’s disaster of management in Goa’s flood control rooms. Well, perhaps, everywhere the situation may not seem to differ much. It’s mostly a knee-jerk reaction. In the cities, the drains are opened and pumps are used to drain out the flood waters. In a couple of days everything is normal, all is forgotten, until he next monsoon. And what do we do, continue to use single-use plastics, dispose of industrial waste into the nullahs & rivers. In fact, our garbage management is a disaster. And then, we have the rains to blame. Well, disaster management needs to be taken seriously in the country!
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
